• There have been 23 different winners from the previous 25 stagings of the event.

• The BMW International Open began in 1989. This tournament has the longest consecutive sponsor of any current European Tour event.

• The first five-man play-off in European Tour history took place at the 1992 BMW International Open. Former American Ryder Cup Captain, Paul Azinger, prevailed against Glen Day, Anders Forsbrand, Mark James and Bernhard Langer.

• Martin Kaymer will be looking for his second title in this event, following on from 2008. Fresh from his US Open Championship triumph, he will try and win in consecutive appearances. The last time did this was in 2010 when he won the KLM Open and Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

• GC Gut Larchenhof will be hosting the event for the second time The first was in 2012 when Danny Willett beat Marcus Fraser in a play-off. Before then the Cologne venue had previously witnessed the German Masters between 1998-2009.

• Previous course winners playing in the BMW International Open are Sergio Garcia (1999), Søren Hansen (2007) and Robert Karlsson (2008).